607-753-2449
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607-753-5976

Overview

Create the kinds of nurturing environments that encourage scholarship and growth in emerging minds. Appreciate and support the diversity of learning styles. Help youngsters achieve success on the rewarding path to lifelong education as an elementary school teacher when you study for the M.S.T. in childhood education (1-6) at SUNY Cortland.

Program Highlights

Under the guidance of our expert childhood education faculty, you’ll build on a strong foundation in the liberal arts and sciences as you incorporate theory into practice. In just 12 months of full-time graduate study, including extensive school-based field experiences and two quarters of full-time student teaching, you can complete this highly marketable NCATE-accredited degree.

Starting with full-time summer enrollment through the completion of student teaching, you’ll delve into instructional options for the key topics of mathematics, science, literacy and social studies. You’ll also explore technology, research, social advocacy and working with diverse learners. Extensive practicum experiences provide the opportunity to apply theories in child development, educational foundations and classroom organization and management to real-world situations.

Culminating Experience

In addition to fulfilling the specific requirements for New York state certification, you’ll complete a minimum of two eight-week, full-time student-teaching assignments at two levels and a culminating research project that includes careful data collection analysis and instructional decision-making to maximize all students' learning in elementary classrooms.

Career Potential

With the well-regarded M.S.T. in childhood education, grades 1-6 from SUNY Cortland, you’re prepared to take your place as a teacher in the elementary school classroom.

Graduate Admission

Evaluation Policy

At the State University of New York College at Cortland, we seek a diverse and academically strong student body. Our admission policy and practice will not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, national origin or marital status.

Required Materials

Official transcripts from all institutions of higher learning attended to be forwarded directly to SUNY Cortland Graduate Admissions Office, indicating a major in a liberal arts area
Note: candidates for admission must present evidence of bachelor's degree conferral prior to the start of their academic program.

Letter of introduction (writing sample) that includes a self-description, background of experience and goals (submitted online with the application)

Resume (submitted online with the application)

Two letters of recommendation

Admissions Criteria

Preference will be given to candidates with the following:

A strong academic record, demonstrated by an overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 and above on a 4.0 scale, GRE scores or other standard test scores indicating the ability to do graduate-level work

Approved concentration of 36 hours in a liberal arts area

At least two undergraduate courses in each of the following areas: English, social studies (history, geography, economics, political science, sociology), mathematics and science

General preparation in the following areas: physical education and fine arts

Successful completion of one year of college-level study of a language other than English or the equivalent. More information is available under Teacher Certification information for alternative ways of meeting this requirement.

One child psychology course

One foundations of education course

One health education course that fulfills state mandates for teacher knowledge of drug studies and alcohol/tobacco use prevention strategies such as the following Cortland course: HLH 265

Basic competency in technology (computing) as determined by the students' records and experiences

An interview with the M.S.T. in childhood education program coordinator

Deadlines

Applications: April 1 — Summer only start date

Applications submitted after the deadline may be considered on a space availability basis.
Please contact the Graduate Admissions Office at 607-753-4800 to check availability.

Accepted students in the M.S.T. in childhood education program will be allowed to defer their admission for only up to one year. Accepted students who do not begin the program within a year of their acceptance will need to reapply to the program and pay any associated application fees.

Eligibility for Student Teaching

To be eligible to student teach, you must be in good academic standing, have no incompletes, complete all prerequisite education courses, have an overall Cortland grade point average of 3.0, have no grade lower than a C- in required education courses and complete the Child Abuse Recognition (CAR) and Safe Schools Against Violence in Education (SAVE) workshops. You must be eligible at the time of application (the fall semester prior to student teaching). If ineligible, you must reapply when eligibility is achieved. Applications for student teaching are accepted only during the fall semester at the established deadline. Winter and summer session courses cannot be used to attain eligibility for student teaching.

Minimum Average Required for M.S.T.

The M.S.T. degree will not be awarded to students who have lower than a 3.0 grade point average, both in the courses offered for the degree and in all graduate courses completed at SUNY Cortland.

Students enrolled in the M.S.T. program are required to maintain a minimum 2.8 cumulative grade point average in graduate work and will be dismissed from the College if they do not maintain the minimum average. Notification of dismissal will be made in writing by the dean’s office. No grade below C- will be counted toward the M.S.T.

Graduation Requirements

Completion of all required courses in the M.S.T. program.

Overall grade point average of at least 3.0 in the M.S.T. program.

Appropriate teaching dispositions

Additional New York State Certification Requirements

Anticipated New York state teacher certification requirements for qualified students who apply for a teaching certificate before or after May 1, 2014, are as follows:

Prior to May 1, 2014

Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST)

Assessment of Teaching Skills - Written (ATS-W)

Content Specialty Test (CST- Multi-subject)

After May 1, 2014

Educating All Students Test (EAS)

Academic Literacy Skills Test

Content Specialty Tests – Multi-subject with three subtests, including mathematics, English/language arts/literacy and other academic subjects (CST-Multi-subject)*
*Note: Since the CST-multi-subject test is being revised, NYSED will be replacing the existing CST-multi-subject with the new one when it is available. Candidates who have passed the old CST will be allowed to apply it toward certification; a form of "grandfathering" will apply even though the date of application for NYS teacher certification is after the date when the new CST is available.

Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA)

Teacher candidates who are graduating December 2013 and applying for NYS teacher certification prior to May 1, 2014, will be allowed to take the "old" or existing tests. Please note that if students graduate from SUNY Cortland but do not apply for NYS teacher certification prior to May 1, 2014, they will have to take the new certification examinations.

Program Requirements

Students are expected to maintain continual, consecutive enrollment in the program from their starting semester through to the completion of student teaching. When circumstances warrant, students may apply for a leave of absence. In the leave of absence application, students must provide a specific date of return to the College. Students must register for courses within one academic year of the original date of their leave of absence.

Students not returning to register within one year will be classified as officially withdrawn from the program. Students seeking to return to the program after more than a year’s absence are required to reapply to the program and pay any associated application fees. Readmission is not guaranteed and prior course work may not apply to program requirements.